This is always an unpopular job, but if you want to ensure a long life for your painting equipment you must clean it thoroughly after use.
Brushes
Wipe off surplus oil-based paint by running the bristles across the back of a knife over the open paint can or newspaper. Then hall-fill a container (a jam jar or old bowl will do) with white spirit (turpentine substitute) to clean off what is left. Press the bristles well into the liquid before removing and wiping dry with a rag. Cleaning off the final traces of paint is easier if you rub a little linseed oil well into the bristles before finally washing out with warm water and washing-up liquid or kitchen soap. Then rinse in cold water, shake well and hang up to dry. (If necessary make a hole in the handle to take a piece of wire or string for hanging. ) You can use this cleaning liquid again if you keep it in a screw-top jar, but decant it and leave behind the sediment. Proprietary brush cleaners in liquid form are effective, but costly, and usually have a pungent smell. Follow the same procedure for water-based paints, but use only warm water and washing-up liquid and then rinse in cold water.
Rollers and pads
Clean immediately alter use or the pile will stiffen and clog and be ruined. Both rollers and pads are better used with water-based paints as they only require thorough washing under a running tap – hot or cold. If, however. you use them with oil-based paints you must go through the same method of cleaning as for brushes. Use the roller tray for cleaning so you wash the tray at the same time. If you previously kept the tray clean with a layer of kitchen foil, you may prefer to use your old bowl for cleaning off or line the tray with a clean piece of foil and clean the roller in that. Hang up rollers to dry since if you leave them lying around they will develop a flat edge.
Storing
Before storing away brushes. wrap them in newspaper or brown paper, folding carefully so as to keep a square end to the bristles, and secure around the ferrule with an elastic band or string. Don’t leave them unwrapped or moths may get at the bristles. Once dry, rollers and pads can be stored flat and unwrapped in a paint tray.